Every Stage of Life Has Purpose, Even in Isolation
BY AYLIN ISMAYILOVA
James Wade, an 83-year-old Air Force veteran, has lived through many highs and lows, but now he’s on a new mission: finding purpose through his love for painting. As he tackles social isolation every day since the passing of his wife, colorful landscapes fill his walls one by one, and he hopes more people will take notice.
Wade first took a painting class when he attended Trenton State College, now known as The College of New Jersey, but it wasn’t anything more than just a college course for him at the time. It wasn’t until his wife passed away six years ago when he had picked up his brushes again, thanks to watching Bob Ross videos. Now, his college painting is proudly displayed on one of his walls, a stand out with a vibrant red farm-style house nestled in the deep green woods, standing beside a crystal blue river - a precedent to his many works that followed. Traces of blues, greens, yellows, and browns cover the rest of his walls, bringing beautiful sceneries from his imagination to life.
Social isolation is a constant battle, but luckily Wade has his brushes and his easels to shift his focus, and an energetic cockapoo named Lady to keep him company. Though his family doesn’t live nearby, he has visitors almost every day from Meals on Wheels of Mercer County. For him, it’s another opportunity to show off his paintings. Eager to share his artistry (and to open up space on his walls), he often gifts his art to the people he comes in contact with.
“Everybody I know has to get a painting,” Wade explained. “Everybody at the bank has one. Everybody at the doctor’s office has one. Everybody at the dentist's office has one. If they like it, I’m glad to give them one.”
Before reconnecting with art, Wade’s proudest title was, and continues to be, United States Air Force veteran. From 1961-1965, he described his experience as “exciting and dangerous” while serving as a first responder in crash rescue and the fire department. His time in the Air Force is something he displays proudly; much like the paintings in his home, he wears his decorated military jacket anywhere he goes. His home, once open to many friends, including his poker buddies from the military, now serves as a time capsule, or a collection of memories that he likes to share with others - of his wife, his family, his friends, and his service.
“I miss being around the guys and everything. I’m by myself all the time. I lost my wife about six years ago. And it’s just kind of boring,” Wade reflected. “A lot of people I used to play cards with passed away. Right after COVID, everything went downhill.” Isolation is a struggle, but Wade manages with resilience, like he has with other missions in the past. He paints almost everyday whenever he feels lonely, and the end results are beautiful for anyone who gets to witness them.
From serving the country to serving his community, Wade continues to make a difference in his life and for others one brushstroke at a time. He is not just an 83-year-old man, but a reminder that life holds purpose at all stages, even in solitude.
